


Just Give Me A Sign

by sartiebodyshots



Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: F/M, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-13
Updated: 2018-11-13
Packaged: 2019-08-23 01:16:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16609064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sartiebodyshots/pseuds/sartiebodyshots
Summary: Lou and Branlin are overwhelmed by a powerful force in the woods.





	Just Give Me A Sign

**Author's Note:**

  * For [beammetothemoon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/beammetothemoon/gifts).



> Moony wanted me to give her girl Branlin a BREAK and have the bad thing happen to Lou, so I wrote this for her!! <3333

Lou doesn’t know how they were overwhelmed so quickly.  One moment, he and Branlin are strolling through the woods, her showing off some trick that she’s figured out with her magic.  The next moment, something wraps around his arms and legs, pulling him back against something that clangs against his armor.

His head hits hard, stunning him for a moment, but when his vision clears, he looks around to find Branlin.  She’s in a similar predicament, arms and legs bound by vines; she’s struggling against them, but seemingly to no avail.

Lou gives the vines an experimental tug, and he also finds that he can’t move at all.  Even with all of his strength, his arms stay firmly above his head, pressed tightly together by the vines.

“I’ll free you in a minute,” Branlin says.

When Lou looks up at her, one of her daggers is moving, sawing at the vine around one of her legs.  It takes a moment, but then he sees the spectral mage hand working the dagger.

“Brilliant, my dear,” Lou says, beaming at her.

Her answering smile is broken when another voice cuts through the clearing.  “Oh, I don’t think so,  _ my dear _ .”

A woman strides into the clearing.  She’s dressed in a plain green robe, and when she flicks her hand towards Branlin, the dagger flitters away and Branlin is pressed against the rock tightly.  

“Don’t touch her!” Lou exclaims, fighting against the vines again.  

The woman turns towards him, lowering her hood.  She maintains her frown as she approaches him.

“Oh, don’t worry.  I’m not interested in some trifling academic,” the woman says.  “You’re a prince. A  _ paladin _ .  Quite the… potential source.”

Lou is slightly affronted on Branlin’s behalf- she’s hardly a trifling source of power- but he is more than willing to take the brunt of whatever this is to keep her safe and unharmed.

“You leave him alone!” Branlin interjects.

“It’s okay, Branlin,” Lou says, raising his chin as the vines tighten around him.  “I’m quite sturdy.”

This makes the woman smile.  “That’s what I’m counting on.”

The woman just stares at him for a long moment, but before Lou can make a quip, he feels a strange burning in his fingers and toes.  It’s near enough to pleasant, at first, but as it spreads to his joints, it starts to  _ hurt _ .

“What are you doing to him?” Branlin asks.  “Please, take me instead! Don’t hurt him!”

“You are souring this with your sniveling, which is quite rude,” the woman says, waving her hand at Branlin once more.

Lou is worried that she’s going to harm Branlin, but another vine shoots out and gags her.  Otherwise, though, she seems unharmed, which makes Lou breathe a bit easier.

The pain continues to spread and intensify, and by the time it reaches his torso, he’s having trouble breathing evenly.  He wants to try to reassure Branlin that he’s okay- her struggling and shouts have only intensified-, but he’s not sure how reassuring it would sound with his breath coming in gasps.

A screech of pain worms its way out of him as it feels like he’s been placed on a pyre, but as soon as it reaches that point, the pain stops altogether.  

The woman stumbles forward, smoking a bit; Branlin got her with  _ something _ .  As much as Lou appreciates the reprieve, he’s worried about what that means for Branlin.

“Don't.  Hurt. Lou,” Branlin says grimly. 

“You are lucky that I don’t harm the innocent, even when they revel in their impudence,” the woman says.

She raises a hand and a glimmering arcane shield appears, cutting her and Lou off from Branlin. 

Lou smiles a bit despite the lingering pain; if she’s not going to hurt Branlin, that takes quite the load off of his mind.

“Unfortunately for you, now that my attention is split, this won’t be as pleasant,” the woman says.  “You won’t be quite as pretty afterwards.”

She stretches a hand out, resting it ever so gently on his forehead, and the burning shoots through his body with the same intensity as it left.  Lou can feel every bit of his body, lit on fire and turned inside out. 

He realizes distantly that he is screaming in agony.  While Lou is no stranger to pain, this is something that he has never experienced.  

It’s not just the physical agony- as excruciating as it is- but the helplessness.  They were overwhelmed so quickly and so completely, and now he’s unable to free even himself- not to mention that Branlin’s safety is wholly in the hands of the woman who has them captive.

Lou is a protector who seeks justice; he’s not protecting anyone very well right now.  It’s not a pleasant feeling.

By now, Lou’s whole body feels worked over.  He has no idea what the woman is actually doing to him, but his throat is raw from screaming fruitlessly and that’s probably the worst of his problems.

At the very least, Lou wishes that he could ask why she’s doing this, but there’s no break in the pain.  It is constant, every increasing. He supposes that it doesn’t really matter, to a certain extent, and he turns his shattered attention to other things.

Branlin is hanging across the clearing, still struggling against the vines.  Her face is red and tear streaked, but she’s going to be unharmed. That is a comfort.  

Perhaps one day she’ll run across his sister and tell her what happened to him, should the woman’s plans turn deadly for him.  Evie and Branlin would get along well, Lou thinks. 

His vision starts to turn from white hot pain to the darkness of the unknown, and he keeps his mind turned to towards good things.  His vows to his god, Evie, Branlin, the knowledge that he has done at least some small part to bring justice to dark places. At least he’s done something.

The woman shifts position, blocking his view of Branlin, which means that Branlin is not the last thing Lou sees before his mind shuts down, unable to take onslaught of ever increasing pain any longer.  She’s fixed in his mind’s eye regardless.

* * *

When Lou goes limp, no longer twitching and straining against the restraints, Branlin stops crying.  She realizes that if she’s going to get out of this with Lou, she has to calm down and think things through.  Thinking is the one thing she’s good at, after all.

The arcane shield that the woman constructed can withstand even her fireball.  That’s the strongest spell that Branlin knows. It can also withstand her other elemental spells, including ray of frost and thunderwave.  

Maybe since it’s so strong against arcane attacks, it’ll be physically weak.  After all, why bother protecting against a physical attack when your opponent is tied up?

Branlin uses her ray of frost to slice through her bonds.  If only she had thought of that earlier, maybe she could’ve avoided all this.  

She drops to the ground with a soft grunt and looks up at the woman, worried she’s been discovered.  Luckily, she’s too focused on Lou to notice her.

Branlin eyes her walking stick, but that might have too much arcane energy to pass through the shield if her hunch is correct.  

Shaking hands reach out for the dagger that the woman had forced out of her magical grip.  While Branlin has killed people before, it’s always been with magic, at a distance. But she’s only going to have one shot at this, so Branlin has to aim to kill.  

Branlin is able to pass through the barrier, much to her relief, and she crosses quickly so she’s just a breath away from the woman.  She remembers vague remnants of anatomy that she learned at the feet of some old professor of hers, enough to know where to plunge the dagger.

It cuts through muscle and skin and whatever else, and the woman spasms.  Her hand falls from Lou’s forehead as Branlin stabs her again. The memories of Lou’s screams that still echo in her ears make it easy to do.

The woman’s mouth opens in a silent scream, but then she falls to the ground.  She doesn’t move, even when Branlin kicks her and wipes her hands on her cloak.  Okay, that’s good.

When Branlin looks up at Lou properly for the first time, she gasps.  His face is covered with bruises, as if she had been beating him with her fists instead of just touching him.

Branlin cuts through the vines holding Lou up, catching him as best she can.  With his armor, he’s heavy, and she doesn’t set him on the ground so much as direct his fall.  

Lou doesn’t react, just lays there.

“You have to be okay,” Branlin says, voice wavering.  “Lou, please.”

She almost doesn’t want to check his breathing, fearful that he won’t be.  But Branlin has to move past her fear for Lou’s sake, so she places her hand just above Lou’s lips.

The barest breath stirs against her hand, and Branlin lets out a sigh of relief.  As long as Lou is breathing, there’s hope. 

“Focus,” Branlin says to herself.  

Forcing her fingers to stay steady, Branlin undoes Lou’s armor.  She’s not incredibly familiar with it, but it’s simple enough, and soon Branlin is taking his chestplate off, along with the rest of his armor.

Branlin tucks her pillow under his head for comfort before biting her lip.  Her fingers tremble as they turn towards the buttons of Lou’s shirt. She wants to be wrong.

“Oh, Lou…” Branlin says softly.  

It’s worse than Branlin thought.

His face looks like he’s been punched repeatedly.  His torso, though… His torso looks like the woman held a torch to him.  He’s covered in burns, bruises showing through where he’s unburnt.

There is good news in that; Branlin knows how to treat a burn, at least.  Not that she’s ever accidentally hurt herself this extensively, but being able to do something feels good.

Branlin cleans the burns, applying the last of the salve that she brought from the university; she’ll have to remember to buy more.  

Unfortunately, that’s the extent of Branlin’s first aid abilities.  Her magic can’t be used to heal. Lou is the healer, the warm one, the good one.  She can’t imagine why anyone would target him for this.

“I don’t know if you can hear me, but please, Lou.  You need to wake up. I don’t know what else I can do to help you,” Branlin says.

Lou doesn’t answer; he just lays there, breath still coming steadily, at least.

Branlin takes his hand, squeezing gently, and sets her other hand on a relatively unharmed part of his torso.  She wants him to know that he’s not alone.

She keeps looking him up and down, looking for any sign of life beyond the rise and fall of his chest.  There's nothing. 

The glint of his ring on the chain around his neck gives Branlin pause.  That's his holy symbol. 

Branlin touches it gingerly.  She's never been an overly devout follower of any particular deity- her lack of interest in the religious life is part of what led her to academia in her youth- but she knows Lou is devoted.  

“Uh.  Hello?” Branlin says tentatively.  “I'm, uh, Branlin. But I guess you know that already, probably.  Um.”

What are you supposed to say to a god?  Especially one that you really don't particularly worship? 

“I'm sorry that I'm so bad at this.  But please. Lou needs help, and I'm sure he's a lot better at this than I am.  So if you could help him… please? Please help Lou because if anyone deserves some divine intervention, it's him.  You can take anything I have as a sacrifice. Just let him be okay. I am begging you because he can’t right now.”

Branlin wonders if she should burn something as sacrifice as well.  She seems to recall that being common at the monastery by the university.  But the only thing to burn would be the woman’s dead body, but Branlin’s not sure if the cooling stabbed body of an evil woman curled on the ground is a good sacrifice for a god of such justice.

Lou doesn’t move.  There is no answer to her insufficient prayer.  She didn’t really expect there to be; maybe that’s why it doesn’t work.

It starts to grow dark, but it’s still warm out, so Branlin just sets a light so she can see and keep watch.  No sense bothering with a fire; she doesn’t want to leave Lou long enough to go get firewood.

Branlin tells him stories to help pass the time, and hopefully help reach him.  It has the added bonus of blocking out errant memories of him screaming in pain.  Her thumb runs over his knuckles gently, and as she talks, Branlin watches him for any sign of life.

Nothing comes, and Branlin feels hot tears racing their way down her face again.  She used to think that she knew so much, as a leading expert on arcane history, but after spending even just a little time out exploring the world, she realizes how little she knows.

* * *

There is a voice calling to him.  

Well, not to him, not always.  

But even when she’s not calling to him, she is, which doesn’t make a lot of sense.  It’s good, though, so he walks towards the voice, towards whoever owns the voice, because he knows he can’t stay wherever he is.  

He was going somewhere else.  Not towards the voice. But it stopped.  Or he did, presumably.

Lou doesn’t want to go somewhere else though.  He wants to go back towards the voice. The voice is good, and kind, and he feels better the closer he gets to it.  

So he finds himself working towards the voice, even if he is so tired.  But he has a direction to go.

* * *

Lou’s hand twitches in hers, and Branlin feels her heart leap back into her body.  He still doesn’t look  _ good _ , but after a night sitting vigil at his side, Branlin will take any sign of progress.

“Hey, Lou, can you hear me?” Branlin says.  

There’s an answering squeeze that has to be purposeful, and Branlin smiles in relief.  She reaches a hand to cup his cheek gently and keeps her voice steady.

“I’ve missed you, my dear.  Can you tap into your healing abilities at all?  I know you just woke up, but it’s important,” Branlin asks.  

Branlin feels a familiar warmth spread through her.  Oh, Lou. 

“Darling, I’m fine.  You were hurt, badly.  I’m okay though- I promise.  Please just focus on yourself,” Branlin says.

Lou nods ever so slightly.

Branlin has been healed by Lou and watched him heal many people in their time together, but it’s generally been in the heat of the moment, hidden beneath clothes.  This time, she can see Lou’s burns scab and heal rapidly and see his bruises fade. It’s truly incredible to behold.

However, not every injury heals all the way.  Some burns and bruises remain, but they are all further along in the healing process, at least.

“Amazing,” Branlin murmurs, touching a particularly bad burn that now looks like it’s been healing for over a week gingerly.

“Glad to know you approve,” Lou’s voice is creaky, ragged, barely recognizable as his, but it’s him.  “I try.”

His eyes are open, finally, and Branlin can feel the tears welling up again- but happy ones, this time.  She’s careful as she helps him sit up and take a swig of water. 

Lou is moving slowly, and he certainly looks like he was recently tortured.  But Lou is moving and responsive, which is everything.

“How are you feeling?” Branlin asks when he’s done drinking.

“Waking up to find you by my side is ever enjoyable,” Lou says, voice more normal.

“Thank you, my dear, but please.  How are you?” Branlin says. 

“I truly am glad to have woken up to your face, instead of hers.  I would rather not experience  _ that _ again,” Lou says.

His gaze alights on the woman’s crumpled body, and he frowns a bit, questioning.

“I thought that the shield that she made might be vulnerable to non-arcane attacks.  I was right,” Branlin says. 

“Thank you, my dear, for saving my life,” Lou says.

“Sorry it wasn’t sooner,” Branlin says.

She turns her attention to buttoning back up Lou’s shirt; it’s easier than looking him in the eye.  

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” Lou says.  “We can get going on our way soon enough, like nothing ever happened.”

Branlin shakes her head.  “You need to rest.”

“I assure you- I’m fine and fit to travel.”

“Please.  For my peace of mind, if nothing else,” Branlin pleads.

“Perhaps a compromise- we can rest somewhere else.  We keep going until we find a suitable place,” Lou says, looking around the clearing uneasily.

Oh, of course Lou wouldn’t want to stay in the place he was hurt; Branlin certainly doesn’t want to stay either.

“There was that cave not too far back the way we came.  Not too deep, and easy enough to hide. We could go there,” Branlin says.

Lou nods, and Branlin helps him to his feet.  He moves creakily, as if he’s a much older man- or in a lot of pain.  

They make their way back to the cave, Lou leaning on her for support and Branlin wrapping an arm around his waist to help.  It’s a slow walk, but luckily, the cave isn’t too far away. 

“I’ll go get our stuff,” Branlin says when she’s eased him to the ground of the cave and ensured they’re alone.  “I’ll be right back. Promise.”

“Be careful, my dear,” Lou says.

“You too,” Branlin says. 

Branlin leaves the dagger in the body of the woman that hurt Lou, but she gathers up the rest of their things.  Carrying his armor is a bit awkward, but Branlin manages to get everything back to the cave in one trip.

Lou is dozing against the wall of the cave, but he wakes up as she enters the cave- carrying armor isn’t a stealthy endeavor. 

“Sorry for waking you,” Branlin says after setting everything down as carefully as possible.  “How are you feeling?”

“I’m going to be okay,” Lou says.  He pats his lap. “Would you like to sit?  You must be tired, if you were up all night.”

Branlin shakes her head a bit.  “I’m okay. I have a lot of energy, actually, and I know you’re still hurt.”

“A little twinge of pain is well worth having you near, should you change your mind,” Lou says.  

Branlin smiles at him, briefly, before crossing over to him.  She presses the back of her hand to his cheek and then his forehead, giving a little internal frown when he flinches a bit before she touches his forehead.  A little burst of hatred flashes through her chest for the woman who hurt him.

“You don’t have a fever, which is a good sign.  I think that she was trying to tap into your connection with your god somehow.  It would explain why you’re still hurt, and why she focused on you being a paladin,” Branlin says.

“Is it going to last?” Lou asks.

Branlin concentrates, killing the moment by brushing a stray lock of hair out of Lou’s face.  There’s no lingering magic that’s out of place, nothing to indicate that Lou’s permanently injured.

“Whoever she was, she was powerful and you might feel weak for a little bit, but I don’t think it’s likely that whatever she managed to do is permanent,” Branlin says.

“I appreciate you taking care of me,” Lou says.  

Branlin kisses the top of his head.  “Of course, Lou.”

Lou wraps an arm around her hips, keeping her close.  He looks up at her with a tired smile on his face. 

“Please rest, my dear,” Lou says.  

Branlin rests her hand on Lou’s cheek, smiling down at him.  She really doesn’t particularly feel like sitting down and being still.  There’s too much inside of her, threatening to bubble out, but she decides to sit down regardless.  At the very least, she knows that Lou would like it.

Tucked under Lou’s arm doesn’t do much to still her inside, but it’s a good place to be. 

Lou rubs circles against her shoulder, and Branlin takes his other hand in hers.  She traces the lines of his palm idly, trying to find some stillness in herself. Her whole chest feels like it may explode, but the feeling passes, as it always does.

“Thank you for being okay,” Branlin says quietly once she feels steady again.  “Thank you so much.”

When Branlin looks up at him, Lou is watching her with an inscrutable expression.  He still looks worse for wear- bruises on his face, too pale, too deeply exhausted for the short distance they’ve walked today- but he’s alive and safe and going to recover.  

For today, at least, that’s enough.


End file.
